I'm not a big horror movie guy, but occasionally one comes around where I am interested enough to check it out on the big screen. My last experience was Insidious. Or should I say attempted experience. I didn't make it through the opening credits. Before the previews, the patrons (mostly teenagers or young 20s) were loudly chatting. Then the previews started. The chatter continued. Then the actual movie started. The chatter persisted! Finally, my wife and I just gave up and left and exchanged out tickets for a showing of Source Code. . I understand that those who attend horror movies can be a different crowd, but that seemed a little ridiculous. So, for the next time I feel compelled to want to watch a horror movie on the silver screen, I'd like to know... was my experience an abberation, or would it be more or less considered the norm? Thoughts? Thanks for your input.

Wed Jul 10, 2013 2:33 pm

Ragnarok73

Cinematographer

Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 4:40 pmPosts: 514

Re: The horror movie "culture."

I don't go to see horror flicks in the theater often- in fact, the last time was for The Blair Witch Project, and everyone in the theater just sat and watched it (and likely couldn't sleep that night as I did). However, I can totally see the situation you described happening, given that many horror films are just made to leech the money out of teenage pockets. If only they brought girlfriends so that eating their tongues could shut them up.

_________________"Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain."

Wed Jul 10, 2013 2:44 pm

Taleswapper

Second Unit Director

Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2012 6:18 pmPosts: 200

Re: The horror movie "culture."

Ragnarok73 wrote:

If only they brought girlfriends so that eating their tongues could shut them up.

Ha. Nice. It's a shame that there aren't a lot of drive-ins anymore. We could just send them there!

Wed Jul 10, 2013 5:23 pm

Vexer

Auteur

Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 12:02 pmPosts: 3606Location: Zion, IL

Re: The horror movie "culture."

I don't think your experience had anything to do with it being a "horror" film(though i'd say you lucked out considering how terrible Insidious is) any genre film can have obnoxious patrons like that. I've seen plenty of horror films in theaters and I never had an experience quite like yours. From my experiences in theaters it's actually the teens who were the most well-behaved ironically, but i've seen plenty of older adults pull out their cellphones in the middle of the film.

Wed Jul 10, 2013 9:19 pm

Sexual Chocolate

Director

Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 4:04 pmPosts: 1754Location: New Hampshire

Re: The horror movie "culture."

I don't think it has much to do with the film being a horror film, and more to do with teenagers acting like teenagers do at the movies. Now, at a midnight double feature, there's usually a lot of catcalling from the audience, but the crowd generally knows the films.

_________________Death is pretty finalI'm collecting vinylI'm gonna DJ at the end of the world.

Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:34 am

Taleswapper

Second Unit Director

Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2012 6:18 pmPosts: 200

Re: The horror movie "culture."

Hmm... this comes at a relief knowing that it's not a staple of every horror movie necessarily... but is of concern that it can span the genres and at some point unavoidable! Thanks for the input.

Oh, and you're right, Vexer, rude patrons come in all ages!

Thu Jul 11, 2013 3:08 pm

MGamesCook

Director

Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2012 7:44 pmPosts: 1807

Re: The horror movie "culture."

This culture exists in very strong force, though I've never indulged in it too much. I've known a lot of guys who were big into it though, and would always here offhand comments about obscure gore fests that I didn't even know existed. I've seen a good bit of the Saw series, for some reason, but apart from that I'm in the dark. Never seen a Friday the 13th. Seen only the first Nightmare on Elm Street, but no Chucky, Hellraiser, Candyman, Hostel, or any of that. Some people are hardcore into it though. I guess pretty much anything which comes in large quantities invites connoisseurs.

Thu Jul 11, 2013 3:40 pm

Vexer

Auteur

Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 12:02 pmPosts: 3606Location: Zion, IL

Re: The horror movie "culture."

MGamesCook wrote:

This culture exists in very strong force, though I've never indulged in it too much. I've known a lot of guys who were big into it though, and would always here offhand comments about obscure gore fests that I didn't even know existed. I've seen a good bit of the Saw series, for some reason, but apart from that I'm in the dark. Never seen a Friday the 13th. Seen only the first Nightmare on Elm Street, but no Chucky, Hellraiser, Candyman, Hostel, or any of that. Some people are hardcore into it though. I guess pretty much anything which comes in large quantities invites connoisseurs.

I used to be hardcore into horror myself, then I became hardcore into action films and horror sort of fell by the wayside, though lately I have been getting back into it. I had a pretty good experience with The Purge, I struck up a chat with another woman and we both took turns guessing at what would happen next in the film, unsurprisingly I was pretty accurate with my guesses, the theater was fairly empty so no one was bothered by our "game". R.I.P.D. looks like really good fun as well.

Thu Jul 11, 2013 4:56 pm

calvero

Director

Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:44 pmPosts: 1404

Re: The horror movie "culture."

a sequel to Ebert's favorite horror film may be coming to a theater near you(haven't read anything about US distribution yet)

Wolf Creek 2

Quote:

“Rustic charm” wasn’t exactly the term for Greg McLean’s stunningly effective 2005 slasher thriller “Wolf Creek,” but that grisly tale of a jovial outback psycho carving up hapless backpackers had a scrappy, earthy shock value that even the most well-conceived sequel couldn’t hope to match. So it’s just as well that McLean’s surprisingly belated follow-up isn’t playing quite the same game, baiting auds with more-of-the-same terror for its first third, before taking an unexpected left turn into something approximating culture-war comedy — albeit with lashings of Grand Guignol gore. Neither as striking nor as fundamentally scary as its predecessor, this pumped-up, robustly crafted pic is still quite a ride, and one that genre-inclined distribs should have no qualms about hitching.

Wow, I had no clue there was going to be a sequel Wolf Creek, i'll definitely be sure to check it out though.

Thu Sep 05, 2013 6:51 pm

PR0METHEU5

Assistant Second Unit Director

Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2012 8:39 pmPosts: 142

Re: The horror movie "culture."

I'm a huge horror fanatic and will in some form or another check out every genre entry released in a given year. As for theater experiences I've never had much of an issue. I last saw The Conjuring and aside from some early nervous laughter and the requisite screams everyone was on their best behavior.

I feel like it also depends on how effective the film is. If it's a laughable pile of crap then of course patrons will grow bored and maybe start to jest and chat among their groups. But if a film is gripping and intense, that feeling should be enough to keep people's attention on the screen.

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